Connecticut western news., 1887-11-23

had learned a rare lesson of judicious silence, and taking the cup that Miss Patience produced from beneath her shawl, she bade her visitor be seated while she left the room to get the de- sired article.
 As her steps died away Miss Patience noiselessly arose from her seat and ap- preaching the dresser upon which the pie stood, peered curiously into the apertures in the crust, her sharp face expressing eager curiosity. 'I'll bet you ninepence she didn't know enough ter put crackers in. wish't I could get one look, inst to satisfy my own mind," she added. And determined to accomplish her object at half hazards she ran knife deftly around a small portion of the edge, and inserting four inquisitive fingers, lifted the brown crust and took a glimpse of the contents.
 A look of unmitigated disgust passed over her face. Dropping into a con- venient chair she actually groaned | aloud:
 "Well, I never an we payin' that man five hundred dollars year, be- sides donation at Christmas. Ough!" Unsuspicious Mrs. Graham, as she re- turned with the yeast, was somewhat puzzled by the sudden frostiness of her | guest, who hurried out of the house as if some dreadful contagion had haunted it; but when the minister, in carving the pic that the deacon's wife had sent | made two curious discoveries almost si- multaneously, the reason for Patience's altered demeanor was made plain, and the young pair had hearty laugh that made the old parsonage ring like peal of Thanksgiving bells.
 The Tuesday following was the regu lar day for the weekly sewing circle, and seldom had that interesting gather ing proved so lovely and animated as on this occasion, well nigh bursting with some important secret that she was only waiting fitting opportunity to divulge. That opportunity was not long in com ing, for Mrs. Dea. Farrell, who was constitutional croaker, took occasion to say, in reference to the hard times:
 ''The deacon had been tryin' ter col lect the church tax, and he says he never rouutt money so tight in all the years he's lived here. It's as hard to git five dollars now as it used to be to get ten. !"
 "And no wonder," spoke up Miss Pa tience, with the stony severity of a sphinx. 'You can't expect folks to feel like payin' out their money when they see it fairly thrown away an wasted"
 Everybody looked curious, and some of the younger girls began to bridle de- fantly. The minister's sweet young wife was evidently favorite with them, at least.
 "What do you mean by that2" asked Mrs. Farrel, pointedly. 'Mrs. Graham is young and inexperienced, to be sure but as the deacon was sayin' only yes- terday, she does very we'll indeed con- sidering."
 Patience tossed her head knowingly
 q don't want to say nothing to hurt her, but Twin next door as do, can t always help seein' and hearin' things that other folks can't be expected to know about, and when see and know things like"
 There was an ominous pause, and the deacon's wife asked excitedly:
 'Like what2"
 "Chicken pies, with legs and feet of the chicken baked in?'
 Had thunderbo!t fallen among them it could not have caused greater surprise to those tidy, thrifty New England housekeepers than this dreadful revela- tion of the incapacity of the pastors young wife.
 'tAre you sure of its" gasped one ma tron, breaking the ominous silence. 'l know it for fact" was solemnly re- turned
 OAASN0h III pAO' "She's born fool," ejaculated the
 deacon's wife, indignantly, "and Tn
 thankful for her poor husbands sake , that sent her over one of my pies yes , terday. They had to throw hers away, . of course, and it's lucky that he didn't , have to go without his Thanksgiving break fast on account of her ign torrance
 an shiftlessness.
 I "How did you know about the pie?' g asked one of the girls.
 Miss Patience bristled defantly l 'That's nobody's business but my own, she retorted, tartly q don't go roun6 s to find out things that don't concerl me, I'd have you know, lut whel e they're thrown right into my face, a , you might say, don't shet my eyes nj V more'n other folks" e Just here the door opened, and il I walked the subject of their converse tion, her pretty face glowing with tn q haste that she had made, and mis {, chievous twinkle in her brown eyes tha r nobody noticed, so occupied were the. !, hiding the confusion that her sudde1
 entrance had created.
 t Walking to the table where most o | the ladies were sitting, she saluted then y cordially; and then holding out upo1 t the tip of her slender finger well-wor1 t silver thimble, she said archly- h "Where do you think l found you
 thimble, Miss Patience9" " So rlnacad was Misa patien ce to rooa i